Ace Combat 6: Drabbles
by Curse Pen
Summary: All but one of these are drabbles. This is about Talisman and how things appear to him, his wingmate, and his co-pilot. Sarah is an OC, which i put in as the second seat in the Super Hornet. Rated for mild language. Review if you want this continued.
1. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer**

I do not own Ace Combat 6 (save for the game itself).

None of the characters or plots are mine.

Sergeant Sarah Hawkins is my Original Character.

All fighter jets belong to their respective companies and design squads.

Ace Combat is the property of Bandi.

NOTE

These are approximately 100-word drabbles. This is my first time on Fanfiction (I do have a Mass Effect thing in the works though) so any helpful comments about the writing and/or the posting would be enjoyed.

Also note that I am still trying to figure out how to use everything and several chapter names say they are something else. Ignore this. They are in chronological order, though it only matters in one of two cases.

Thank you and enjoy.


	2. Chapter 1

**Ace**

The two men glanced from their cards to each other. The younger one grinned at his fellow fighter pilot.

"My hand's looking as good as that paint job I gave your Falcon on maneuvers last week."

"Shut up," the elder muttered, glaring at the cards. "That paint missile hit me on a fluke. I sneezed. Lost control…"

"Tried a triple spiral to evade…"

"You and Sarah always do that. You handle the piloting, and she handles dropping us like flies. It is not fair to have two people in the same jet."

"Super Hornets are built for two people. If you do not like it, then practice in a two-seater and beat Sarah and me in the next sortie. Then you won't complain so much."

"I hate you, Talisman."

"Everyone does."

"Sarah likes you."

"Well, a two-seater plane has to be in perfect working order. That includes pilots. We get along out of necessity."

"Not what I meant."

"I know."

"Then—"

"Because everyone — even Ghost Eye — has suggested it. Sarah can drop you from two hundred meters with a rifle and send a missile up your thruster, but that doesn't mean she likes the insinuations."

"'Methinks, thou protestith too much.'"

"Never figured you for Shakespeare."

"That's where it comes from?"

Talisman sighed. "Avalanche, if you are going to quote someone, at least know where it comes from." The young pilot tossed his cards onto the table. "I have to turn in. Patrol tomorrow at 0400. You can pay me after I get back."

Avalanche glared at the three Aces, King and Queen that Talisman had left on the table. "Full House. Again. I need to find new poker buddies."


	3. Chapter 2

**Sky**

Wings. Without them… I am nothing. If I could not fly, I think I would go insane. The view, the vistas, the sheer magnitude of the world is unknowable. You cannot imagine the scope of the world until you have flown. But not any flight. It has to be a fighter plane. You cannot look out the window of a passenger jet and hope to understand. You have to tear through the sky, rip through clouds. See fireworks race for you and never touch you. However, the clouds mend and all sign of your passage is gone. For good. Forever.


	4. Chapter 4

**Mountains **

Talisman looked out over the dazzling mountains. The sun danced from their summits, the pinnacles reaching up in a majesty incomparable.

"Beautiful."

"Talisman?"

The young pilot glanced reflexively over his shoulder at Sargent Hawkins. The woman sat behind him, where she always did in the Super Hornet. His — their — multi-purpose plane's navy black skin caught the light from the mountains as Talisman heeled the fighter over. He twisted them down from the top of the flight group to come in behind the Boeing refueling jet.

"What?" he asked.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"Nothing." He eased the throttle forward.


	5. Chapter 3

**Missile**

It was simple. A trigger. A missile. Linked in a delicate limbo. One twitch, one second, and death would follow the pure white of the missile trail. Sargent Major Sarah Hawkins viewed the layout of the second seat console. She felt the inertia pull on her, pushing water into her eyes, and flattening her tongue against her teeth. She swore Talisman performed high G turns for the fun of it. Of course, without his reliable flying and those nauseating turns, they would have been shot down ages ago.

"Fox 1."

Her cue. She hit the trigger. Her missile flew straight.


	6. Chapter 5

**Safe**

The missile lock chimed again. Sarah tried to tone it out, keep herself focused on the targeting instruments. Talisman could handle the missiles. A fiery comet whooshed past the cockpit, making her flinch. Near-death experiences were nothing for them. Another high G turn pulled them over a mountain face. The following missile flattened itself into the rock. She pulled the trigger, loosing a missile into an oncoming fighter.

"Sir?"

"Fox 2."

She switched the ordinance over to standard missiles. The target beeped. She fired. The target exploded. Their Super Hornet ripped through the debris.

"We're safe."

"Sir."

_She was safe._


	7. Chapter 6

**Immortal**

He could not believe it. It was only propaganda. It had to be. He had seen the Emmerian, Garuda 1, go down in flames. Crash and burn. He had seen it. So how could he be here? How could Garuda 1 be alive? How could he be in that fighter, the one sowing nova fire across the sky? For it could be no other. No other dove ahead of the Emmerian forces, destroying all in his path. No other leapt from foe to foe, as light from a mirror. Or a flame to dry tinder.

He saw the missile.

Fire.


	8. Chapter 7

**Flight**

"Nothing can touch him. He spun out of my missile arc and nailed my wingman."

"That's nothing. I heard he swept up an entire tank battalion with one SOD."

I listen to the radio chatter of my wing mates. We are going into battle and this 'Garuda 1' is said to be among the enemy's numbers. I say bring him on. I have never felt defeat. I have never been touched by cannon nor flak nor missile.

"Fox 1, Fox 1."

These words suddenly cut over my radio. I notice fighter planes ahead of me.

Garuda 1 has fired.

Death.


	9. Chapter 8

**Inferno**

"Talisman, bandit on your six."

"I see him."

"Break right."

Different radio chatter. "Damn, slipped from my lock."

"Coming around." Shamrock. Good old Shamrock.

"Negative. I can handle this." Stubborn Talisman.

"Abort, Talisman. Repeat, abort your dive." Avalanche.

"I got him. I got him! Ha ha!" Cocky Estovakian. "You are mine Garuda 1!"

It is a dance we know well. With only one conclusion.

"What? How did he dodge it?" Estovakian.

"DRIVE, DRIVE." Talisman.

Fire rips the sky asunder. Twelve Estovakian fighter planes disappear into the roiling inferno. None come out. Talisman flies straight through. There is an explosion.

"Talisman?"


	10. Chapter 9

**Angel**

Talisman flies right into the cloud where there were once twelve Estovakian fighters. Now eleven are gone, torn apart in fire and sent into the blue abyss. But their leader is quick. He evades Talisman's ADMM missile attack, the inferno of the skies. The missile from Talisman's fighter is a snap shot, non-targeted. The enemy dies as his comrades had. Without a chance for reprieve. But he claims one thing no other pilot has done and many have dreamt of. Talisman does not scream. He calmly pulls the fighter into a dive, his cockpit and the aft fuselage, aflame.

"Angel."


	11. Chapter 10

**Search**

Hours. We have searched for hours. Ever since he went down the Estokavians have pulled out, laughing and blasting every plane wreck, some of them their own. Just to make sure. Garuda 1. Down. It… it has to be a dream. A nightmare. Not truth, a lie. A figment of my imagination.

_Angel._

That was his last radio transmission. But… no, he isn't dead. He was talking about me. I am Sargent Sarah Hawkins. His Guardian Angel. I cannot let him down. Suddenly, I spot something from my — our — Super Hornet cockpit. The Nosferatu C-44 Fighter he used.

_My Angel_.


	12. Chapter 11

**Demon**

"Well?" Shamrock asked the doctor. "Will he be okay?"

"Your wingman?" The old doctor smiled and shook his head. "He got shot down at point blank range. I am surprised to have anything to treat, let alone cure. Yes, Pilot. He will survive. And as of right now, he will make a full recovery. Back on the lists in a month, maybe two." The doctor patted Shamrock on the shoulder. "Give him plenty of rest. Not too long."

"Thanks."

"My pleasure."

Shamrock looked in through the door and stopped. Sarah sat at the bedside, sleeping. He tactfully closed the door.


	13. Chapter 12

**Loss**

"I cannot believe this!"

Talisman glanced over at Shamrock. "What?"

The pilot glared. "We get suspended for taking down six aces. _Strigon_ aces. The pilots who attacked Gracemria. And you have the gall to ask 'what?'"

Talisman shrugged. "We disobeyed an order. What _did_ you expect? A medal?"

Sarah glanced over the table at Talisman. How could he take this so lightly? Then she saw it.

"I'm heading in. Might be able to catch up on some sleep," Talisman said, stretching.

"Jerk." Shamrock slumped into a chair.

Sarah opened the door to Talisman's room.

"Do not tell anyone."

She nodded.


	14. Chapter 13

**Life**

She sat and listened. He stood and talked. They spent the next few hours that way. In the end, Talisman sank onto his bunk next to her.

"It sucks."

"Being grounded?" she guessed.

He laughed. "You make it sound like I'm fifteen and stayed out too late."

"Kind of."

Sigh. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"For getting you grounded, too."

"Glad to do it."

Talisman arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I helped take out the pilots who took our home from us. I would trade my life for that."

He scowled. "Never say that."

"Why?"

"Your life is too valuable. Even for that."


	15. Chapter 14

**Respect**

Sarah smiled as she saw the missile smash into the transport vehicle. The WMD catalyst was no more.

"Excellent job, Garuda team. Come on home," Ghost Eye said over the radio.

"You got a party ready for us, right?" Shamrock asked. "It would be better than all that lip service we've got recently."

Sarah heard Talisman cough; hiding a laugh.

"Careful, enemy planes still in the area," Ghost Eye said, ignoring Shamrock.

"Get ready Sarah."

"Sir?"

"The Stovies aren't going to like us after that stunt."

Sarah looked at the weapons board. Hundreds of red targets lit up.

Just great.


	16. Chapter 15

**Ends**

"Sargent?"

"Lieutenant."

Sarah smiled at him, sliding out from under the fighter. Their fighter. He grinned back, stifling a laugh.

"What?"

"Nothing, Sargent. Just came down to see how you are."

"Fine, Sir."

Talisman sat down next to her. "Thank you."

"For what, sir?"

"Talisman will do fine."

"Okay. I think…"

Talisman shook his head, avoiding her gaze. "Some of us are holding a game tonight. Thought you might want to come."

"Not a pilot. Gunner."

"Not a pilot's game. And I invited you."

"Maybe."

"Right." Talisman grinned at her again.

"What?" she asked.

A rag wiped her face.

"Grease."


End file.
